On Equal Pay Day, Merkley Calls for Renewed Action

On Equal Pay Day, Merkley Calls for Renewed Action

WASHINGTON – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement to mark Equal Pay Day – the day each year when women’s earnings catch up to men’s earnings in the previous year.

“It is simply outrageous that in the year 2014, every American does not receive equal pay for equal work,” said Merkley. “This is an issue of basic fairness and equality. It’s also a huge pocketbook issue for Oregon’s women and their families. Pay gaps quickly add up to thousands of dollars. That’s real money that makes a real difference in paying a mortgage, fixing a car, or buying groceries.

“It’s time to renew our commitment to equal pay for equal work. I applaud President Obama for acting today, and I look forward to casting my vote for the Paycheck Fairness Act tomorrow.”

President Obama signed into law two Executive Orders today that will increase transparency and discourage wage discrimination among federal contractors. The Senate is expected to vote tomorrow on the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill that would give women across all sectors of the economy more tools to fight wage discrimination.